Evil of the Future
by the stargate time traveller
Summary: AU Series 5. The arrival of two sorcerers from a future magical war forces the truth out of Merlin, and Arthur finds himself questioning everything he's been taught.
1. Chapter 1

A big thanks to the people who have read my last Merlin story.

As before I do not own Harry Potter or Merlin, just the story. Set in Series 5. Obviously AU. Reveal fic.

**Evil of the Future.**

**Arrival of Lord Voldemort.**

It had been three weeks since Merlin had had the dream about the future worlds of magic. In those weeks he'd spent his time thinking about them, how they related to what he was doing with Arthur, but he couldn't get the bad side of magic out of his mind.

Sorcerers would eventually split into aristocracy, and eventually delusions of their own power, their blood mattering more than what they could do if they applied themselves to seeing things differently. Worse, Merlin couldn't get the snake faced sorcerer out of his mind.

Gaius wasn't much help.

He'd listened to Merlin as he'd told him about the dream, and although he was delighted magic would still exist in the future, though it would be as corruptible as the aristocracy in the present day. Merlin couldn't argue with him on that score. Many aristocratic nobles weren't noble at all. Gwaine himself knew that, hence his uneasiness of nobility.

" I'm more interested in this boy you spoke of, Merlin," Gaius had said that night. " He sounds like you." He continued as he ate his dinner.

The parallels between himself and the boy he'd seen had occurred to Merlin too, though he couldn't understand why magical people would be so callous. Then again Uther Pendragon had been a tyranical ruler, and hopefully his son wouldn't inherit any of the previous Camelot king's arrogance and ignorance.

" Gaius," Merlin had said, trying to put how the magical boy had been treated aside; he'd been raised by a loving mother, and Balinor could've raised him if only Uther had left him alone, but the boy had been abandoned deliberately as part of the old sorcerers actions. Gaius looked up at him questioningly. " Do you think its possible that even if Albion is founded, and magic is allowed to return, do you think eventually those with magic will need to hide?"

Gaius had then put down his fork, and folded his hands. Merlin noticed that although he tried to look wise and hopeful for the future of magic itself, Gaius still looked out to other possibilities. That was one of the many reasons Gaius was the person Merlin would always go to for advice. Unlike the Great Dragon, who spoke only in riddles, Gaius would look down all the avenues and try to figure a possible answer, though it may not be correct in the long run. " Arthur and Uther are, and were not, the only rulers of kingdoms who outlawed or banned magic, and began purges Merlin. There have been others, though not as extreme as Uther's. Magic has always been feared by those who don't or cannot understand it, and I can't see that changing.

" Morgana and people like her can't see the harm they're doing. She might be trying to bring magic back by killing Arthur, and taking the throne for herself, but all she's doing is creating more fear for we need to hide in the future? Only fate can decide that. If you saw it in a vision then there's nothing you can do."

" Why not?" Merlin asked almost petulantly.

Gaius had glared at him, but answered the question. " Do you remember the time you saw the Great Dragon burn Camelot in the crystal, and how you stalled for time? That time only heightened the Dragon's rage for Camelot. Merlin, you can't be expected to solve every magical problem, and besides in the long run it might even help magical users, but in the furthest future it will cause problems like you described."

" But we shouldn't have to hide!" Merlin had argued.

" Sometimes we have no choice, look at what's happening now."

Merlin hadn't needed to. He saw it all the time any time they saw a sorcerer, someone who was being hounded by the Knights, by Arthur...When the Great Dragon had told Merlin about Albion and Arthur returning magic to the lands, he'd hoped at last to be recognised for his gifts. Instead those with magic, especially the Druids who were a peaceful people had been attacked, sometimes the raids would be led by Arthur himself, though in times passed those raids were few and far between.

Princess Mithian was one of many guests invited to Camelot for a celebratory feast that helped open Camelot to other kingdoms. Resplendent in a simple but beautiful robe of periwinkle blue, she glided over the floors of the hall. Despite her royal background and training, Mithian kept her face demure and passive though Merlin knew she was anything but. Looking at her now made Merlin regret how he'd treated her when they'd first met, at the time he'd wanted to help Arthur and Gwen get together. Mithian had taken it in her stride, and she and her father still remained on good terms with Arthur and Camelot. She wasn't the only royal here, Queen Annis and several others were too.

The feast was the part Merlin hated, having to stand with the other servants, pouring wine as he grew tired of standing straight. In all the years since he'd become Arthur's servant, the King still felt he should remain a servant even though their relationship was more than that.

Arthur was about to stand up to propose a toast to celebrate the coming of these kingdoms in friendship, when a gust of wind blew out some of the candles. The wind whistled just as a bright green hole appeared in the middle of the hall.

" Is this magic?!" Arthur asked. Merlin was looking at it with some foreboding. Was this Morgana about to make a comeback? Somehow he couldn't see it, Morgana had tried the direct approach before, but her speciality was to use surprise.

It wasn't Morgana. What came out of the green magical hole was something Merlin didn't expect. Out came four figures, and the green hole shrank slightly, though it didn't disappear. Merlin and the guests were as surprised as this party seemed to be. Merlin studied them. They were robed in black robes, with hoods covering their heads. They wore masks with slits for eyes.

The central figure was the one that caught Merlin's attention, because Merlin had seen him before in that vision. The snake faced sorcerer, the evil one who murdered everyone who came up against him. Merlin felt a chill go down his spine, and his blood turned to ice. Oh, no.

Merlin stood stunned, but unlike his servant Arthur jumped up angrily, unaware of the danger, and Merlin knew he couldn't stop the avalanche from happening unless he wanted to get through the next day with his head and neck still connected.

" This is magic!" The King snarled angrily, his hand going for his sword. " Guards!"

Before Arthur or any of the guards could do anything, the snake faced sorcerer moved before Merlin could even think of any way to protect Arthur. The sorcerer flung out his arms, and Merlin and the others found themselves flung against the wall. Merlin coughed at the impact, stunned by the force of the magical push, and his eyes tried to take in everyone.

The sorcerer spoke. " Amazing," he whispered, his voice was a cold hiss. " Even now, muggles are still stupid."

One of the masked sorcerers came closer to the leader. " Master, we should have arrived in Godric's hollow at the time of your defeat."

The snake faced sorcerer swung round on him angrily, sighing with exasperation. " Yes, thank you, Draco. I can see that. Potter's arrival disrupted the ritual."

" What do we do, my lord?"

" CRUCIO!" The snake faced sorcerer screamed, pointing a stick Merlin believed was a shrunken staff at the figure. The masked sorcerer collapsed to the ground, writing and screaming in pain. The sounds brought everyone up short, and one of the other sorcerers raised a similar stick at a guard who came running over, and a bright flash of green hitting the body that crashed to the ground stopped anyone else from trying to become a hero. Merlin ignored that after a brief moment of consideration and focused on the snake faced sorcerer. After a minute of torture, the snake faced sorcerer pointed his staff away. " Do not ask me stupid questions." He warned dangerously, and Merlin had the impression this was an everyday occurrence, if the masked people shuffling their feet were any indication.

Arthur breathed in. Merlin saw his expression, he could see this sorcerer was nothing like the ones he dealt with on a near daily basis. Merlin almost screamed when Arthur, once more acting like an impulsive fool.

" Who are you?" The King asked.

Immediately the snake faced sorcerer took notice of the question and for a minute Merlin was afraid the sorcerer would retaliate; Arthur's hatred for magic clearly would not go down well with this particular sorcerer, and Merlin feared what he would do if Arthur tried something stupid. Most of the sorcerers Merlin and Arthur were used to, Merlin hating himself for not intervening of their behalf, would always give up. Somehow Merlin doubted this particular sorcerer would. He seemed like the type to lash out violently.

Instead the sorcerer took the question mildly.

" I am Lord Voldemort, it means flight from death," the sorcerer replied calmly, as if he hadn't just inflicted a curse on one of his followers and flung everyone against a wall. For Merlin, the name was perfect; this sorcerer appeared to resemble a snake or a corpse with his chalk white skin.

" I don't care who you are," Arthur retorted strongly, but just as calmly. Merlin wanted to grab him, to shut him up, but he couldn't move unless he wanted to draw this sorcerer's attention to himself, and Merlin had a vague idea of what history recorded him as in this time.

Arthur went on carelessly, but Merlin could see Gwen, Mithian, and some of the knights look between the sorcerer and Arthur fearfully. Like Merlin, they'd seen the dangerous power this sorcerer would and could wield. Arthur was used to cutting sorcerers down openly, but Merlin doubted this Voldemort would take it mildly. Judging from the expression on Voldemort's face

" As King of Camelot, I order you to leave. We shall let you leave." Arthur said in what he believed was a reasonable voice.

" CRUCIO!" Voldemort screamed, his staff pointed at Arthur.

Gwen screamed when her husband dropped to the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. Merlin, being magical, could actually hear the spell. It was like the buzzing of a swarm of angry bees. Finally the spell was lifted, but Voldemort was not finished with Arthur, not yet.

Arthur was magically pulled off the ground, and found himself floating in the air. Merlin briefly considered intervening, but he decided against it. Arthur was levitating above the ground, and if he meddled with the spell Arthur could break a bone in either foot. It would also mean entering a battle with this small group of sorcerers, and Merlin doubted he had the magical power or experience necessary to beat them.

" Filthy muggle!" Voldemort hissed angrily, " No wizard should be cowered before the likes of you. It should be _you_ cowering at our feet, dressed not in finery," he gestured at the frightened guests, " but in rags. You should be _serving me_. I could use someone to _lick the muck and blood off my boots_." He hissed the last part.

Voldemort canceled the spell, and a look of thoughtfulness came over his face. " Camelot," he mused, forgetting Arthur. Gwen fought against her fear, and rushed to her husband, ignoring the sorcerers holding their staffs threateningly.

" Tell me," Voldemort said, and Merlin shuddered. The sorcerers tone would've been pleasant, if it hadn't been for the menacing quality to it. " Is your name Arthur Pendragon, or Uther, the murderer who butchered magical kind because his pathetic muggle wife was too barren to have a child born without the aid of magical help?"

Merlin swallowed, it had been a bitter pill to swallow knowing Uther had been a hypocrite who hadn't just listened to Nimueh, who'd helped him have an heir, but it was just as painful knowing Uther had no idea of the cost. Ygraine had died, but it wasn't Nimueh's fault, depending on your point of view, but it's repercussions were still felt even now. Arthur had found out, but Merlin had managed to convince him Morgause had been lying. Merlin hadn't really cared about Uther, he'd thought the previous king was a monster, a tyrant. He'd done it to protect Arthur. What would the kingdom rather have, a King who'd reached the position lawfully, or a King who'd murdered the previous? Besides once Arthur had recovered his senses, he would've been wracked with terrible pain and misery.

Arthur reared back in his wife's arms, then he snarled angrily. " How dare you bri-" the reason he stopped was simple; Voldemort had levelled his staff in Gwen's face, and the tip was glowing and smoking with magic.

" Be careful," Voldemort warned, " unless you want your lovely wife to be raped and tortured by my servants whilst you watch, immobilised by my magic, you will answer my question. Now tell me, who are you?" The threat of the staff and his silky voice made Arthur realise unless he wanted to see Gwen hurt and raped he had no choice but to answer.

" Arthur. I am Arthur Pendragon," he replied, looking down, hating himself for being so weak, ignoring his wife's tight grip. The King of Camelot was surprised he wasn't known to this group of sorcerers, everyone in the Five Kingdoms knew of King Arthur Pendragon, so why not this one?

Arthur sensed rather than saw the shift in body language coming from the sorcerers, just like he sensed Gwen's sudden terror. Chancing it, he looked up, and he saw the expressions on Voldemort's face.

The sorcerer's expression was one of delighted surprise.

" King Arthur," Voldemort hissed softly. " That means - yes. Where is Merlin?"

" Merlin?" Arthur asked in astonishment; why in heaven would this sorcerer want his useless manservant?

" Yes, Merlin. Where is he?" Voldemort hissed in growing anger.

Merlin shivered, this was not going to be good...

" Why would a sorcerer want him?" Arthur asked.

Voldemort looked thoughtful, like he was thinking about how to answer the question. " Why would I, Lord Voldemort, the most powerful wizard in the world, not want to meet the most powerful warlock in magical history?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Evil of the future.**

**The Second Arrival.**

Merlin felt as though his heart was being torn from its place in his chest. He'd felt helpless on many occasions, but he'd never felt like this before. Those times he'd been content that at least Arthur and his friends were safe, that his secret was safe and hidden. Now Voldemort had ripped it away from him.

These thoughts paralysed Merlin so much he barely noticed everyone shift their attention to him.

" The Great Merlin," Voldemort breathed, his voice slightly awed and respectful, but there was a sneer in that voice. " Look at you," the dark sorcerer continued, gesturing at Merlin's everyday working clothes, " dressed like a peasant, a mere serving boy waiting hand and foot a bunch of worthless, inferior muggles. It should by they who serve you."

Merlin didn't have time to say a word. The portal was glowing green again.

" Master, someone is coming through!" One of the masked sorcerers reported.

Voldemort swung angrily on him. " Yes, thank you Fenrir. I can see for myself, you animalistic fool!"

Someone came out of the portal, but not before there was a flash of white. For the knights and royals still alive in the room, the flash knocked them off their feet, but for the magicals it made them shudder and recoil at the magical wave, depending on the magical power of the users.

Merlin and Voldemort, being the most powerful of the magicals in the room, were practically knocked off their feet at the blast. A figure stepped out of the portal. Mithian, who had tried to stay out of the way whilst Arthur confronted the sorcerer called Voldemort, studied him with interest and more than a little fear. Unlike Camelot, which had a strict non-magic policy, Nemeth was more flexible, and Mithian had grown up learning that magic should be feared but also respected. Unlike Arthur or indeed Uther, whose hatred for sorcery was well known throughout the Five Kingdoms, Mithian could see how magic could be used for good as well as evil. To say she was shocked that Merlin was a sorcerer was an understatement, but it made a sort of sense to her. There was something about Merlin Mithian had never been able to work out, but it had never occured to her the answer might be magic. He was tall, maybe taller than Merlin and Arthur. He had lank jet black hair, pale skin. When she laid eyes on him, Mithian shuddered when she saw those green eyes. They looked like fire and ice combined.

Mithian and everyone else noticed the fear present in the sorcerers; they were shaking in their boots. Voldemort looked angry. For Merlin this was a growing nightmare. He knew the basics of the story behind Voldemort and this young man, knew his own parents had abandoned him.

" Hello, Voldemort," the sorcerer whispered but everyone heard him. He had a clear voice, accented, and strong. " It feels like only- what? 1,000 years since we last saw each other." Merlin quirked a brow, these two were enemies and yet this younger sorcerer was greeting Voldemort like they were old friends. Merlin saw Voldemort was about to speak, but the other sorcerer stopped him. " Oh, please don't speak on my account," the sorcerer waved his hand, and Voldemort's mouth moved without speaking a word. The young sorcerer chuckled at his indignation.

" Strange, isn't it? You prepare to travel back in time to kill me when you tried when I was only a year old, but instead you overshoot and find yourself here, Camelot. Still if I hadn't have discovered your plan, it might have worked."

The sorcerer flicked his hand, and the Death eaters went crashing into the wall. This ignited a battle between Lord Voldemort and the young sorcerer.

" Arthur, Gwen, get out there!" Merlin called, but it was hard to see if both monarchs heard him. Cursing, Merlin pulled them away with his magic. Seeing that he'd been pulled away from the battle with magic instead of hands, Arthur found himself face to face with Merlin. The first thing Arthur felt was anger, he'd trusted this man with secrets only to find he was a sorcerer.

" You betrayed me-" Arthur began, only Gwen got there first.

" Arthur, look over there," she snapped at him; yes, she herself was a mix of emotions about Merlin, anger and hurt being prominent, but Gwen knew they had better things to worry about than her husband pointing the finger. " There are two sorcerers here, fighting to the death."

Merlin tuned out from what Gwen was saying. His attention was on what was happening in front of him. Merlin had seen, faced, powerful sorcerers before, Cornelius Sigan and Morgana prominent amongst them. But those were behind the scenes, never direct in full view of the King of Camelot before. The sight of magic in full view of the King, Arthur, was a dream for Merlin. The warlock had always wanted Arthur to see magic being used, but never like this.

Voldemort and this young sorcerer's magic was terrifying; Voldemort was throwing spells that Merlin had never heard of, let alone read of in the book of magic Gaius had given him, but their effects were terrifying. The young sorcerer just stood there, batting the spells Voldemort was sending him. If it had been Morgana doing that Merlin would think the witch would be arrogantly batting them aside, but this sorcerer didn't although it looked like it.

The sorcerer seemed to bat away the most strongest of Voldemort's curses, and he sent back a few more of his own. Merlin saw Voldemort have trouble disspelling those spells whilst the younger sorcerer had no trouble disspelling the spells Voldemort sent. Where they using different forms of magic? Merlin wondered, it would certainly explain their differences.

An arm touching his arm gently made him jump. He focused on the person who touched him.

" Sorry Merlin, but what is it?" Gwen asked, but Merlin could see the unease flickering in her eyes.

" Sorry Gwen, I was just focusing on those two." Merlin turned his attentions back to the sorcerers.

Arthur glared at Merlin from the side. " They're using magic, what is there to focus on?"

That was the last straw for Merlin. Angrily he swung round to glare Arthur in the eye, his eyes glowing gold with suppressed power. The sight stunned everyone nearby. " Arthur," Merlin hissed, the air crackling around him, " shut up and use your brain. Look at them. They aren't your usual sorcerers. They're from the future. Voldemort showed he would not tolerate your hatred for magic. I've seen what he can do. I saw the future."

" What do you mean?"

Merlin breathed in. This was going to be hard to explain.

" I saw the future," he repeated. " I saw the future of magic. You can't destroy it Arthur, no matter what. I saw Voldemort's rise to power in a magical community, and I saw him," he pointed at the young sorcerer.

" Who is he?" Gwen asked.

Merlin sighed, his voice becoming sad. " A young man wronged time and again. Voldemort's rise to power caused a prophecy between those two," he gestured at Voldemort and the young sorcerer, " and another powerful sorcerer, an old man with delusions of grandeur, set up a plan. It came about when his parents abandoned him," he pointed at the young sorcerer.

" Why?" Gwen breathed.

Merlin sighed, his sadness palpable. " I don't know. I know only a prophecy was made, not what it said, but its clear he's destined to kill Voldemort."

Arthur sighed. " Magic is evil."

" Really, Arthur?" Merlin said wearily. " I don't think that young sorcerer's a threat. He's only here to kill Voldemort. As long as he's left alone by us, he'll leave."

" No!" Gwen suddenly screamed, but it was too late.

What happened next proved Merlin's point, though it was annoying it had to happen at all. A knight cowering behind a chair next to frightened nobles was not a pretty sight, but one look at the pretty servant girls made his mind up. Drawing his sword, the knight rushed the two sorcerers, his sword drawn. The Queen's shout startled him, but his fate was sealed.

The young sorcerer turned his head when he caught a flash of movement in his peripheral vision, and barely managed to stop himself from being run through. Arthur swallowed as he saw the unholy rage on that face. He'd faced down magical animals, a dragon for God sake, his own half sister, and he'd stared death in the eyes and he'd walked away from all of them.

None of them held a candle to this sorcerer. Arthur wondered if maybe leaving magic alone should have been a better alternative than murdering those with it.

Lightning shot out of the sorcerer's hand, engulfing the unfortunate knight. His screams echoed throughout the hall, and quite a few servants ran out of the open doors. For one ludicrious moment Arthur wondered why no-one had tried to escape, then found he couldn't care less. The screams did the job of summoning more guards and knights in the distance, hopefully armed with bows and arrows.

Voldemort had stopped throwing spells once he saw what his young opponent was doing. Arthur noticed how amused the snake faced sorcerer was appearing, how...proud he was.

Finally after venting such an impressive rage, the young sorcerer pushed the knight away, letting the man get away breathing raggedly. Everyone shuddered when they saw the darkness in those green eyes, the danger. " I'll deal with you later," the sorcerer promised darkly, eyes glaring at the knight.

The sound of clapping drew his attention back to Voldemort.

" Atta boy, Harry," the dark sorcerer grinned with black teeth, " whoever back home would imagine their precious saviour, their boy who lived," Voldemort sneered at the title with disdain, " would sink so low to torture a cowardly muggle who would try to run a wizard, the apex of natural evolution on this planet, through the back?"

The young sorcerer, Harry, smirked. " I don't care. You should know that better than everyone, especially since I killed that reporter who ran the story I was evil."

Voldemort laughed. " I know. Neither do I." He held up his wand and prepared to reignite the battle.

It didn't happen.

Fortunately or unfortunately - fortunately for the nobles and muggles in the hall and unfortunately for Voldemort and Harry as one wouldn't be able to finish the other off, a squad of soldiers marched into the hall.

Merlin's eyes widened in horror. He swung round to see the relief on his King's face. " Call them off, Arthur."

The King glowered at him, remembering Merlin's own betrayal. " You're scarcely in any position to tell me what to do, Sorcerer."

Merlin winced at the tone, but it was what would happen next that scared him. " Arthur, these two are nothing like the sorcerers you're used to," he purposefully left himself out, saying you instead of we're as Arthur would probably refute it, " and Voldemort tortured you. And Harry, if that's his name, tortured a knight for trying to stab him in the back. Even you've gotta see that was a cowardly and stupid thing to do. What makes you think either of them are going to let you attack?"

The debate was pointless whichevewr way you looked at it; as soon as Voldemort saw the guards, he stopped the magical duel, leaving his younger opponent to deal with them.

The moment he saw the soldiers approaching, Merlin knew he was right. Harry's expression was one of exasperated boredom.

" I'll let you deal with the mess, Potter," Voldemort laughed, dodging a spell sent by the distracted Harry. Merlin watched wide-eyed where Harry turned to deal with the soldiers with the air of someone who just wanted to get the original business done but had something else to do, and Voldemort pointed his wand at the ceiling. A burst of magic exploded from the wand tip, and a massive amount of dust and rubble crashed to the ground, scattering anyone foolish enough to be nearby.

" MORSMORDRE!" Voldemort screamed, aiming his wand through the hole. Arthur followed the burst of magic as it shot through the hole in his castle's ceiling. He jumped when he saw the magic coalesce into a skull with a snake coming out of the mouth like an obsene tongue.

Voldemort flew out of the opening, leaving his young enemy to deal with Camelot's finest.

Merlin shivered when he saw Harry's eyes lock on his own.

* * *

Harry could feel Voldemort leave, using his magic to fly out.

Coward.

To be honest Harry didn't blame him for leaving, besides the fact Harry's power was greater than his own. Voldemort had never liked fighting those with power greater than his own, so he would always leave, a tactical retreat the muggles called it, though Voldemort probably called it nothing more than a convenience. Besides, Camelot wasn't the most magically friendly environment in this shithole of an era.

As soon as his eyes locked on the knights approaching, their swords out and their bows and crossbows locked on him, the glint of light falling on the tips of their arrows, Harry sighed. Why, why was it every single fucking time he was about to finally end the magical war, some stupid fool, or fools in this case, stopped him?

Harry watched as they approached him, keeping very still. With his mind he latched onto the magical threads throughout the room, it made him wince when he felt the presence of Merlin.

He followed the threads and found Merlin. For such a powerful wizard he certainly didn't look like it, and Harry didn't like the way he felt Arthur's aura. It was angry, and it was directed at Merlin. Stupid muggle. He should be bloody grateful for Merlin for saving his useless life.

The wizard glared at the soldiers.

" I have just had a lousy day," he told them quietly, but in the silence of the hall seeing this dangerous sorcerer's anger clearly everyone was quiet, " and you stupid muggles are the reason my enemy has just escaped. The question is," he levelled a stare at them, unleashing his magical aura. He smirked when the knights shivered despite their brave faces. Aw, you had to admire them, even when they were more than likely going to find themselves without their limbs. " Do you want to die today?"

Ignoring Merlin's arm, Arthur stood up and marched towards the sorcerer. The King of Camelot hadn't enjoyed sitting cowering out of sight, and he'd been humiliated by Voldemort torturing him, and worse he was angry because a sorcerer had threatened his wife. It hadn't occurred to Arthur not to push it.

" You will be the one to die, sorcerer," Arthur proclaimed. " As King of Camelot, I sentence you to death by beheading."

Harry's reaction was surprising.

He threw back his head and laughed.

" Oh, you muggles," tears streamed down Harry's face as he struggled to regain his control. " Do you honestly think I'm going to let a bunch of sword happy thugs attack me on the orders of a worthless King who history doesn't even remember? Do you honestly see me cowering in fear of you? I know the history of Camelot, of the Great Purge. I'm nothing like the witches and wizards you and your filthy muggle father murdered. How does it feel, King Arthur, to know your precious father murdered and hunted those after a high priestess of the Old Religion warned him there was always a price to pay?" He sneered at the thought of Uther; to Harry, who'd suffered greatly at the hands of muggles in childhood due to their ignorance and stupidity that eventually found their lives torn to shreds at their feet, Uther Pendragon was the kind of muggle that proved Voldemort's point that muggles were inferior beings. The fact they forgot the exploits, or murderous campaigns of Uther and Athur Pendragon was proof of how forgetful they were when history seemed to repeat itself.

Arthur's face darkened, and he drew Excaliber and held the point at Harry's throat.

" Oh, yeah," Harry sneered at him, seemingly unconcerned about the threat though deep down he was apprehensive. He could feel the powerful and ancient magic imbued in the blade, and it intimidated him, but he had no intention of letting this jumped up busybody get the best of him. Besides that the blade was pressing against his throat. " Be the tough man. But one thing, what do you plan to do with Voldemort?" Harry didn't let Arthur answer. " I'm the only one who can and will kill him, and if you people try and catch him, he'll kill them without a thought. I hope you've got enough space to build a massive cemetary."

Very slowly Harry pushed the blade away when he saw in Arthur's mind the king could see he had a point.

Arthur didn't resist. He did have a question though.

" Why should I trust you?" He asked.

Harry quirked an eyebrow. " Because Merlin's going to need help in convincing you magic is far from what you think. Anyway, take a look at that," he pointed at the magical thing in the sky, " that is Lord Voldemort's signature. It means there's been an attack. On his rise to power, the sight of that outside a family home was a terrifying nightmare. The wife would be raped and dead, tortured to death, and the kids would be worse depending on their gender. Girls were raped and butchered, boys were ripped apart. It's in the skies now, a thousand years in the past. Voldemort doesn't need followers, he's going to use his new surroundings to his advantage. He's going to slaughter every non magical person he finds, and those will fill the sky."

Harry stopped speaking, and just let the information settle into Arthur's mind.

" So, King Arthur," Harry changed his tone to become more respectful, " do you want to help me stop Voldemort and see what other uses magic could do, or are you going to try and cut my head off?"

The sorcerer folded his arms.

Arthur had the impression he was waiting for a blessing not out of respect but out of decency.

He hesitated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer. I don't own Harry Potter or Merlin. **

**Evil of the Future. **

**Arthur's choice.**

The flight took Voldemort a fair distance from Camelot, a flight the dark wizard knew he could not maintain for long. Broomless flight was possible for many of the power Voldemort was capable of, but even so there was a drain on the users magical core, you had to fight wind changes, speed, and altitude, hence the drain. The problem was registered by Voldemort's crazed mind, but the dark wizard was too far into his madness to think of landing. The only thoughts he had in his head were of his own delusions of grandeur. Voldemort was good at ignoring his own flaws. It never occurred to him in his entire life many things that went wrong happened because of his own failings, so instead he simply pushed the blame on to others.

This latest episode was no different. If Voldemort had been a forward thinker then he would never have bothered trying to travel back into the past, and killing Harry Potter before he'd been blasted out of his body. So many things could've been averted, yes, he knew that. But so many potential problems would never have resulted in what he'd been trying to do. A piece of Lord Voldemort, the piece of the true forward thinking form of Tom Marvolo Riddle, the part of his psyche that had become increasingly corrupted by the horcruxes he now knew had been eradicated, and the only part of his warped mind that still housed the once brilliant young wizard raised in a squalid muggle orphanage that accepted the logic of the flaws in Voldemort's plan.

Some people had multiple personality disorder. Even wizards were not immune to that. The only difference was Voldemort's was brought on by creating too many horcruxes. The piece of Tom Riddle left often analysed that fated meeting between himself as a student at Hogwarts and Horace Slughorn. It had never failed to amaze him that the teacher was such a trusting fool, it had only taken a box of crystalised pineapple to bribe him to tell him about horcruxes. The man had been cautious of course, and rightfully so. Horcruxes were the darkest form of magic in the world, and not to be taken lightly. Riddle had only come across a mere reference of them in the library. The Hogwarts teachers were the only ones to know about the things, and they knew not to let the information spread, but Tom Riddle had been fascinated. Riddle often went back to that meeting, and wondered where he had gone wrong.

Dumbledore knew he had been fascinated with immortality, but he had never wondered to himself why as far as Riddle was concerned, though it was possible he did have a rough idea. Merope Gaunt, Riddle's mother, had died in childbirth, living long enough to give him his name. That and the fact his father had abandoned her when she had loved him had been the building blocks to Voldemort's philosophy, that love was useless and dangerous, that it should be avoided at all costs, and that death must be conquered at all costs as well. Everything he had done, every ritual, every murder, every horcrux, it had been to avoid love and death. He remembered when he had asked Slughorn about the quantity of horcruxes, and the old man had been revolted, saying it was impossible. It wasn't as Voldemort had discovered, and indeed when he had made his first, the young wizard had felt a rush of power such as he had never known even when he cast magic with his wand.

The answer was obvious.

He wanted more. And he made another horcrux, and then another. And another. More and more Tom Riddle's practical side eroded, leaving him a shadow of his former self.

But as Voldemort delved deeper into learning the dark arts after he left Hogwarts, and immersed himself into magical rituals, he learnt something about the horcruxes he hadn't managed to get from Slughorn. Once they were made, they couldn't be unmade, unless he felt incredible remorse for his actions. Not a problem, as Voldemort was a psychopath. He had never been sorry for stepping on an insect, let alone been sorry for a murder of another human being.

There was another problem. After creating more and more horcruxes, a piece of Riddle had felt...diminished, like he was fading away, and the larger and more powerful personality of Lord Voldemort was taking over. His physical form had changed as well, something Voldemort had found both repulsive, and yet at the same time helping him shape himself as a terrifying figure.

It had been growing for a long time now, and he doubted very much anyone knew. Dumbledore certainly didn't. The old manipulator had been growing more and more delusional as he had aged, and his bunch of followers were no better.

Riddle was sure only Harry Potter knew, as the younger wizard had left Britain, and studied other forms of magic in order to fight him as Dumbledore certainly wasn't teaching anything worthwhile, and added to that the brats parents had betrayed him. Harry Potter was a sore point for Voldemort, which was putting it mildly. Since he had heard the prophecy, Voldemort had been desperate to kill Potter. His time spent as a wraith in the forests of Albania had only made his obsession worse, he had no body, no wand, and his hold over himself was only made possible because of his horcruxes.

When he had returned to power, the only thought on his mind had been to kill Harry Potter.

And yet the boy continued to stay alive.

Things had taken a drastic change when the boy had learnt his so called friends were in fact spies for Dumbledore. Riddle had not been surprised, as it was the old man's way to not think his plans through properly in the small scale, but Lord Voldemort had simply not cared, as it might make the boy seek him out so he could be killed.

But the boy had left, leaving the magical world ripe for Voldemort to take over or destroy. He had killed Potter's mudblood friend after a duel, which the Dark wizard accepted she was a good opponent, but only just. But the boy had not come or seemed to care. Then he had slaughtered half the Weasley family, but the boy had not come to avenge their deaths.

Five years later, and the magical world was barely holding on, and Magical Britain was collapsing under the weight of war, which was seeping into the muggle world, and the other magical communities, who were coming to Britain's aid whether the Ministry liked it or not. The foreigners actually defied the Aurors and Dumbledore by actually going as far as killing Death eaters. Voldemort hadn't cared, as he could find new followers easily enough since Potter had fled, taking with him the hope of the magical world. Sometimes the magical world's stupidity never failed to amaze Voldemort, as they had pushed the boy away without realising the extent of their mistakes.

Then Potter had returned, and he came back with a bang. He disowned his own parents when they returned, and he publicly destroyed the majority of the horcruxes, claiming he had found the rest. Indeed Voldemort had lost Nagini the same time, and a snake had been seen destroyed by Potter.

Potter waged a war with Voldemort, wiping out all of the Dark Lord's bases, killing his followers en masse, exterminating the werewolves, even those not on his side, and others, as warning to the rest. His agents in the Ministry were wiped out, and at that point Voldemort had suspected Potter to have a spy in the ranks of the Death eaters. But whom?

He spent months lying low whilst the younger wizard continued wiping out his army, spending his time rummaging round in the minds of his followers, but he found nothing. Then one night, Voldemort had a vision in his head of Potter taunting him in his sleep. The eureka moment led him to realise the spy was himself, Lord Voldemort, but by then it was too late.

Potter attacked, using his new found powers to destroy the wards of his Headquarters, and Voldemort had the honour of dueling Potter once more. But this time the younger wizard had made use of other forms of magic, even from his own family's arsenal now he had access to it. Voldemort was forced to flee. For a short time whilst he rallied his remaining followers who flocked to him out of fear rather than loyalty, Voldemort pondered on what he should do next. He knew Potter was a horcrux, and the young wizard knew it too, but Voldemort had no idea how to deal with the problem. Living horcruxes were difficult things to deal with, and there may have been the possibility Potter had already purged the soul piece and was using what was left.

Voldemort quickly realised that to ensure his own survival, he would need to change everything. That meant journeying back into the past, travel to the point in time where his younger self, already on the brink of bringing about the fall the the Light, was ripped from his body. Voldemort's plan was to arrive, merge with his younger self, and kill the phantom taking Lily Potter's place, therefore killing the infant quickly. Then he would have the memories of an alternative future, one that was to be avoided.

Voldemort had arranged the ritual carefully, and hoped Potter wouldn't track them, but somehow the young wizard had discovered the plan. He had arrived, wiping out half of his remaining Death eaters, and altered the ritual.

Now he was here, at the time of Merlin and of King Arthur. Voldemort knew the stories of course, like any other witch or wizard, but he hadn't expected Merlin to be wearing the clothes of a manservant. Then again the Old Religion was in decline in this century, thanks to the actions of Uther Pendragon.

Voldemort shook himself out of his thoughts, and continued his flight. He was now looking for a place to rest so he could make a plan.

* * *

" Your move, your majesty," Harry said to Arthur. The King had been thinking about Harry's proposition for close to half an hour, and still he hadn't made his decision. The wizard was sharp enough to notice the looks he was sending in Merlins general direction, looks filled with questions and accusations, and Harry just wanted the King to grow a pair of balls already and make up his fucking mind.

Arthur glowered at him. " Suppose I did come with you, what then? You might try and kill me."

Harry didn't hide his sigh. They didn't have time for this, not with Voldemort out there. " Listen, I don't know what sort of magic you're used to, but I'm not interested in harming you. If I was, then do you really think I'd let you still be alive? I can kill you as effortlessly as I breath the same air as you. Maybe slapping you around a bit to make you grow up and actually make a decision. I am nothing like the magicals you know. I don't care what you see magic as, but I do care about the future you and Merlin are destined to create, and no I won't go into details," he added when he saw the look on the King's face, and out of the corner of his eye he could see the same questioning look on the faces of the knights and the others still in the hall.

" More to the point, why should I kill you?" Harry added, " What do I have to gain?" He repeated from earlier, but Arthur didn't reply. Harry carried on. " You've got a more pressing problem on your hands. Lord Voldemort's like me, he doesn't care about what the magical situation is here anymore than I do. He'll use it to his advantage. He'll use it to kill every person here. He may be from the future, but that doesn't make any difference." Everyone saw him look down, his face becoming darker as he frowned. Gwen noticed that for someone just coming out of his teens, he looked far older than anyone here. " The longer you stand there, dressed in your armor, doing nothing, the more people will suffer. Is that what you really want?"

Arthur still looked undecided.

" He's right, Arthur." Everyone turned to face Merlin. The warlock glanced at Harry, who regarded the manservant with an expression Merlin couldn't place.

Arthur glared at him, but Merlin carried on. " Like I told you, I saw a vision of the future, how Voldemort would conquer much of the land." The warlock turned to the surprised Harry apologetically. " I also saw you and how your parents abandoned you."

Harry's eyes widened. " You had a vision." It was a statement rather than a question.

Merlin nodded.

" Then you know, about what I have to do?"

Merlin nodded again.

Gwen moved closer between the two magical users, something Arthur noticed and protested at once. " Guinevere...," he began warningly, but Harry automatically raised a hand.

" Yes?" He addressed the Queen of Camelot softly. " You have something to say to me?" He added when she didn't speak.

Gwen had her own fears of magic, but they weren't as extreme as Arthurs, though she couldn't help but feel hurt Merlin hadn't confided in her. Gwen didn't jump to conclusions the way her husband did, she could have helped.

The Queen tried to be as regal and fearless as she could, but it was hard when those two unnatural emeralds that seemed like a clash between ice and fire were turned to her. " Yes," she began nervously, " why did you come here?"

Harry stepped closer to her, and Arthur raised Excalibur, but the wizard addressed the Queen, who'd stepped back at bit. " To survive," he replied, " Voldemort and I have been fighting each other for so long that only just now has he decided to travel back in time in order to kill me." He looked down, and everyone considered the implications. Arthur wondered just what this sorcerer had done to make someone want to kill him in the past.

" What did you do to make him do that?" Princess Mithian asked timidly.

Harry looked at her. " A prophecy was made a year before I was born. During that time the magical world was already at war, the Light on one side, and filth like them," he pointed at the bodies of the Death eaters, " and the Light was losing badly because their leader was a fool who believed the scum should be forgiven," he sneered at the word. " But the Death eaters used that to their advantage to cause more destruction. I won't bore you with what the prophecy means because I don't know if its genuine or not, seeing at the man to tell me is a liar. Basically it states I have the power to kill Voldemort. He attacked me as a year old, and he almost killed me. I did the impossible, and the Killing curse which is impossible to block and I lived."

Harry took a deep breath. " I was alone, taken to a filthy muggle home, and abused for ten years of my life. Does it never occur to you muggles that beating a wizard is just inviting death?" The crowd were shaken by the contempt in the wizards voice, but Gwen picked up on something else.

Pain.

" What are muggles?" Merlin asked curiously.

Harry quirked a brow, but then he realised the question was genuine. " Muggles are what the people around you and I are - King Arthur, the Queen, the Princess, and the knights, non magical people. Don't get me wrong, some aspects of muggle life appeal to me; gyms, television, music, art, but the people are lacking. I'm not as extreme as some, but when it comes down to it muggles destroy everything."

" No, they don't." Merlin argued.

" Say that to our kind, Merlin. How many people has this King, a man you're destined to protect, ordered dead, or killed himself simply because they can do something he cannot?"

As much as Merlin hated to admit it Harry did have a point. " What are you planning on doing now?" Merlin asked as he tried to steer the subject away from this topic. The way Harry had phrased that question had made everyone uncomfortable; there had been sheer contempt in the wizards voice it was frightening. Voldemort had been horrifying himself, but for someone fighting against him -

Harry glanced between the famous warlock and the once and future king. He wasn't bothered if Arthur came or not, but these men knew these parts, and that would give an enormous advantage to him and keep Voldemort a few steps behind.

" I don't know anything about this place, this kingdom," he said. " Having you and King Arthur come with me would be a help."

" Why should we?"

" Oh, so you want your people to die because you can't stand the thought of being with two people with magic?" Harry sneered, then he shrugged.

" Fine. Stay here. Cower. Whimper under the table, in fact all of you," he looked round the faces of scared royals, " don't leave Camelot. Not unless you want to die." Harry knew there was no way of predicting Voldemort's next move, but this bunch of royals had no way of knowing, and Harry wasn't going to say anything.

" I once trusted magic to save my father. The sorcerer who told me he would help betrayed me. Why should I trust you to keep your word?" Harry turned when Arthur started speaking; the young King was standing paralyzed, looking both Merlin and Harry with an expression Merlin couldn't identify, but Harry could. Muggles who didn't like, tolerate, or even understand magic, but used it to their advantage anyway, only to return to hating it again. The expression reminded Harry of a muggle whose father was dying, and asked Harry for help. Harry had done his best, but in the end even magic hadn't been able to help. It hadn't been his fault; but the muggle hadn't bothered to listen to Harry's explanations, and had threatened Harry with a knife.

A knife against a powerful wizard was hardly any contest, but Harry hadn't had the heart to fight back. The memory had never sat well with the wizard, but he wasn't in the mood to deal with it with King Arthur. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Merlin's wince whilst no one else did.

Interesting.

" Ah that's easy," Harry smiled. " I'm a wizard, not a sorcerer."

" What's the difference?" Someone shouted.

Harry looked dangerously into the crowd. " A sorcerer is someone who studies magic, a wizard is someone born with it. I didn't ask for my destiny, nor did I want to shunned and hunted by fuck knows who. Muggles, wizards...I'm tired of it. When I kill Voldemort, I intend to turn his broken corpse somewhere public as a warning to the next generations the price for becoming a dark lord."

He turned to Arthur. " As for what happened to your father, well its not my problem. Your father was a murderer, and if he tried to have me killed here in this hall, instead of you as King, I would have wrenched him from the throne, and I would have tortured him before turning him into a broken jester!"

Harry panted as he tried to regain his self control. His temper would be the death of him one day, he knew it would. He was just getting so angry these people were content to waste time squabbling with their prejudices. Harry was so tempted, really tempted, just to grab Merlin, and leave. But he would prefer it if Arthur came as well. The King needed to grow up, now.

Unfortunately Harry's retort about what he would do with Uther if the old King was still alive made Arthur's mind up. He whipped his sword around and pointed the deadly blade directly at Harry, his expression furious. The other knights followed suit.

" So be it, sorcerer, wizard, or whatever you call yourself!" Arthur growled, his face a mask of rage. " I sentence you to death."

Everyone in the hall watched, waiting for the wizards reaction. Harry smiled coldly. " I don't need magic to teach you, filthy muggle, your place. Do nothing, Merlin."

And he was off. He moved like lightning as he physically sidestepped Gwaine's sword, and without any effort, he snapped the surprised knights arm. Gwaine screamed, but before the knights could act, Harry was smashing his way through them. Each punch dropped them to the ground in pools of blood. Finally only Percival was left. Harry sized him up; the man was as big as a half giant, and possibly stronger than the average man.

But Harry had been augmented in a nasty scientific experiment, and his strength level was 6 times greater than other humans. Percival held out his sword in a fighting stance, waiting for this sorcerer to attack him. But Harry did not move. Instead he held out his arms in surrender.

" Alright, I give up. I surrender."

Percival narrowed his eyes, flicking them over to Arthur, who watched suspiciously. Something wasn't right. So far this sorcerer hadn't acted like the sort to give up, he'd demolished the knights. Why surrender? Was it because he was afraid of Percival?

Arthur finally nodded, giving the big knight permission to take the sorcerer under arrest. Percival nodded and stepped forward, his sword raised threateningly. Harry stayed still, but when Percival was close it was too late. Harry's hands, raised in submission to show he was no threat, dropped his hands and grabbed the sword hand. The sound of crushing bone on metal and Percival screaming made everyone jump with fear. Harry launched a vicious kick to Percival's chest. The knight doubled over, but Harry wasn't finished with him yet. Before their stunned eyes, Harry snapped Percival's arm before moving onto his leg.

" That's it!" Harry snarled. He looked into Merlin's frankly unprotected mind, and selected a place far from the castle, and summoned the surprised King and Merlin before apparating them out.


	4. Chapter 4

**I am so sorry I haven't updated my story in a while. I've been busy writing poems and stories for publication. **

**Evil of the Future. **

The force of the apparition had knocked both Merlin and Arthur unconscious, something Harry was pleased about when they materialised in the woods a way off from Camelot. He was pleased because the silence, the closeness to nature gave him time to think. He carefully lowered Arthur to the ground, idly wondering why the stupid man had to wear armor even at dinner. Harry carefully took Excalibur from Arthur's grasp, and put the sword a little away so then the hothead wouldn't attack him with it when he woke up. After seeing the magiphobic nature of the man himself, Harry didn't want to take any chances.

Next he checked on Merlin, whom he was surprised about because he was unconscious. Merlin was either a novice when it came to apparition, or he simply had no idea how to maintain his awareness. Merlin was also a bit of a disappointment, Harry was expecting the warlock to be more..., well, Merlin. Then again people of legend weren't what they were cracked up to be. Harry had met famous people before; Gilderoy Lockhart and Albus Dumbledore, and both of those men had been sore disappointments compared to hard workers like Alastor Moody. Lockhart was a vain egomaniac, more concerned with primping and looking good than he was with actually getting his hands dirty. To a point Dumbledore was the same, but he had actually earned his reputation. It was only in his waning years had the old bastard become a closed off egomaniac with delusions of grandeur.

Harry made sure both Merlin and Arthur were comfortable whilst he gathered firewood and something to eat. He closed his eyes when the fire was lit, the wood crackling. He reached out with his mind, focusing on the ambient magic in the woods. He smiled when he felt the presence of a rabbit warren. Concentrating, he drew some of the rabbits out bodily, ignoring their squeals of surprise and he stopped their hearts. Harry vanished their fur, skin and blood, and he put their carcasses on spits for cooking. As the meat was cooking he wet to look for water. He found a small stream and he checked it for anything harmful. No. It was as clean as a whistle. Conjuring a few bottles, Harry gathered as much as he could and took them back to the temporary camp.

That done, he only had to wait.

Arthur woke up first, blearily for a second. He noticed he was no longer in Camelot but was now in the forrest though he couldn't tell where since it was dark. Arthur remembered being grabbed by that sorcerer, and they'd disappeared...Sorcerer. Merlin was a sorcerer. He looked around for his traitorous manservant, and found him at once sleeping nearby. Arthur looked closely and saw that Merlin looked innocent when he was asleep. No.

Merlin had magic, and magic was evil. It had robbed him of his parents, and his sister had been corrupted by it. Merlin would fall too, it was inevitable, like all the other sorcerers before him.

He felt for Excalibur, but the sword wasn't there.

" Looking for this?" a voice asked, and Arthur craned his neck to see the second sorcerer standing over him with his sword grasped in his hand. " Don't bother begging me to give it back to you. The answer is no. The Pendragon family has murdered too many of my kind, and I won't let you harm him."

" I wasn't going to harm him," Arthur retorted, mentally wincing at how transparent the lie was. " I was just checking if my weapon was there."

" Yeah," the sorcerer drawled. " I believe you. Just like I believe you when your own mind said magic was evil, that it corrupted people like your dear sister. Don't insult me, your mind is so transparent I'm surprised there isn't a window in your head. I can see through you, buddy. Lie to me again, and I will make you understand how I'm not renowned for my patience. Are you okay to eat?"

Arthur's stomach rumbled. He hadn't had much of an appetite before dinner. He always hated it when royals had to visit the castle, because it meant they would be taking all the best foods when the rest of the city had to make do with scraps and leftovers. His father hadn't cared but Arthur was a different man entirely. Oh, some royals weren't so bad; Mithian was lovely, and Queen Annis was nice when you got to know her.

" I'll take that as a yes," Harry commented at the sound. " Come on."

Arthur hesitated. This sorcerer had shown himself to be a vicious fighter; look at the way he'd switched from magic to physical contact like that, and overpowered his knights including Percival. Arthur was sure he'd been fighting with magic, using it to strengthen his muscles or something. Seeing he had no choice, Arthur joined Harry as the sorcerer grabbed a spit with rabbit on it, and dug into the meat, tearing it with his teeth.

Arthur bit into the meat himself, and found it wonderfully done. Whatever you said about magic, sorcerers were amazing cooks. Silently Harry handed him a bottle of water.

" It's just water," Harry said exasperatedly when the King didn't take the bottle, just regarded it cautiously like it might be poison. Arthur took the bottle, and carefully took a sip of water.

Harry burped, but he didn't apologise for it. He instead looked at Merlin, deciding the warlock had been asleep too long. Calling upon the magic of the surroundings, Harry prodded Merlin awake.

Jolted awake by the magic, Merlin woke up with a start. " What's going on?" He looked round and saw Arthur and Harry eating at a fire.

" Waiting for you to wake up," Harry replied, pointing at a place for the warlock. " Sit and eat."

Merlin stood there for a moment, indecisively, wondering what he should do. So far Harry hadn't been a threat to him personally, but the warlock would and could never forget the brutal way the wizard had thrown himself against the knights of Camelot, the way Percival had screamed in pain still made his head hurt.

Merlin wondered, if it came down to it, if he could defeat this sorcerer, or wizard as he called himself, in a one on one magical fight. He had the advantage of the Old Religion on his side, and the power of Emrys. But Harry had the advantage of practicing his magic without fear or reprisal from someone like Uther, or Arthur he was ashamed to admit to himself. Merlin had watched as Harry had fought Voldemort, how both wizards hadn't cared about the possibility of being executed by Arthur though Merlin had doubts either would've let the King live if he'd threatened them to that extent.

Seeing he had no choice, Merlin went to sit between Harry and Arthur.

The King stopped eating his meal when the warlock joined his fellow sorcerer in eating their own meals. Though he daren't admit it to these two, Arthur felt very alone despite the company. More than that he felt betrayed by someone he'd considered his best friend for almost a decade. Arthur couldn't believe it; Merlin had magic, and Merlin knew how Camelot's laws were when it came to magic.

" I'd keep eating if I were you," Harry's voice brought Arthur back to reality.

The King looked straight at the wizard. " What?"

" I said you should keep eating," Harry repeated irritably. " Tomorrow we're going to be hunting Voldemort down, and you both need to keep up your strength."

" Why do you need us?" Merlin asked curiously. He wasn't looking forward to the idea of hunting down a sorcerer who seemed to have no trouble

taking life whenever he saw it, but he could tell though Arthur plainly couldn't that the sorcerer was not going to simply let them walk away.

" You know the lay of the land better than I," Harry replied. " Voldemort doesn't either, but that won't matter to him. Plus the fact I have help from the most powerful magical user in history." Merlin quirked a brow. " If people see me use magic, they could try and kill me," he pointed out. " And you."

" Where do I fit in?" Arthur interrupted before Harry could reply to Merlin's question. The wizard turned his gaze away from Merlin to give Arthur a withering look.

" You are going to learn what magic really is. Not the half truths your ignorant father thought," Harry replied. " You will see that magic can be used for both good and evil, like a sword."

Arthur was a little taken aback by the comparison, and Harry saw it so he elaborated. " You are trained to use a sword, yes? So that means you fight people who use swords themselves to harm innocent people?"

" Yes, but I don't see-"

" Does a sword used for evil purposes make swords in general evil? Or are they just a power that can be used for good and evil?" Merlin had to fight a smile at Harry's question. He'd understood at once the point Harry was trying to make at once. The wizard was right; Merlin had seen countless times how a sword could be used to defend as well as kill. It depended on the person who wielded it that determined whether the person was evil or not.

Arthur opened and closed his mouth. " That's besides the point," he stammered. " A sword is not magic-"

" But there is no good or evil when it comes to a weapon," Harry interrupted. " An axe can be used to chop down trees to make firewood, but it can also be used to kill a child. I've just given you a good as well as an evil use for an everyday object. A sword is no different. Magic is no different. I used magic to light this fire," he pointed at the burning wood. " I used magic to find and kill the rabbits you're eating," as soon as Harry had finished that he wished he hadn't said anything at all; Arthur looked down at the half eaten roasted rabbit on the spit with disgust. " If you don't finish eating that then I'll force feed you," Harry warned him. For kicks he flushed magic into his hand to create a ball of magical fire. It was a far cry from fiendfyre, but it did the job. Arthur gulped at the magic, and decided eating the rabbit was better. He already had visions of how that ball of magical fire could be used to get him to swallow.

Merlin frowned, starting to become concerned by Harry's seeming hatred for those with no magic. He knew sooner or later that he and Harry would speak, and he was hoping it would be when Arthur was asleep.

Merlin struggled to get comfortable in the tree. To ensure Arthur didn't try to escape from them, Harry had found them a large and high enough tree, and took them up via magic. Merlin didn't have any knowledge about spells that could safely lower them down to ground level, and he knew better than to play with his magic to lower them down to the ground, especially with Harry nearby. His fears he might not be able to successfully fight the wizard returned; Morgana was one thing, but that was because of his superior magical skill, but Harry was a sorcerer at the height of his powers, and he possibly didn't understand the meaning of defeat.

" Why didn't you tell me?" Arthur's voice whispered at him.

Merlin licked his lips. He'd been dreading this conversation though he knew it would be coming. For many years Merlin had dreamt of magic being free to practice again, dreamt he could finally tell Arthur the truth about himself, about the future they would be carving together. But as time had passed, and after one thing or another, most of the trouble was magic in origin, and Uther's conditioning of his son to loathe magic had reasserted itself.

Merlin wasn't blind; he knew Arthur had his doubts about what Uther had repeatedly told him about magic being evil. It wasn't until Morgana's fall and the way he, disguised as an old man, had failed to save Uther's life with magic that convinced the King that magic was evil and was best avoided.

" I wanted to," Merlin whispered back. " But I couldn't. You kept saying magic was evil, how could I say I had magic myself? You'd have chopped my head off."

Arthur was silent. " I don't know what I would have done."

The two men talked a little bit before falling asleep.

* * *

Harry woke up first, smelling fresh forest air. He ignored the pain he was in before he remembered where and when he was, and he let out a sigh. Camelot.

Shit. He'd hoped it was a terrible dream, but no such luck. To make things better Lord Voldemort was still out there, still alive in a world and time that didn't know the name Voldemort, didn't know the pain or the misery. Harry frowned as he remembered that bastard guard, if he hadn't gotten in the way he could have killed Voldemort. Stupid muggle. He'd promised to deal with the man, but other matters had stopped him.

He craned his neck and body carefully so he could peer down at Merlin and Arthur. Both men were still asleep. Harry grimaced as he thought about Arthur, how much of a disappointment he was compared to the legend of the man. Sitting up painfully Harry stretched, wincing at the aches he was getting.

With a thought, he lifted himself off the tree branch he'd been sleeping on, and he did the same with Arthur and Merlin. He cast a subtle charm on them with the natural magic of the forest to keep them sleeping as he foraged for food. By the time he came back with fresh deer and some blackberries, he didn't remove the charm as he got to work. When the meat was cooking, and the blackberries were washed, he woke the two men up.

Arthur and Merlin were just as cramped as Harry, but they recovered quickly when they smelt breakfast.

" You'll have to use your fingers," Harry said through a mouthful of meat.

Merlin and Arthur stared at the meat, and they dug in. Within seconds of tasting the meat, both men grunted appreciatively. " Whatever your powers," Merlin remarked, " you're a good cook."

Harry frowned. " Comes with being a slave to a family of muggles."

Arthur looked down as he considered. He'd been frightened by the power demonstrated by this sorcerer and Lord Voldemort, but whilst he hated and feared magic he wasn't stupid. The bitterness of how he'd said 'slave' was noticeable, and it made Arthur wonder what this family had done to him.

When his meat was finished, Harry got started on his blackberries.

* * *

After breakfast, the three people left the camp and went on their way. Arthur was studying the surrounding trees so he could figure out where the three of them were. He'd been trained and spent much time in these forests hunting and foraging, so his experience with the various trees had formed a map in his mind.

Merlin kept his mouth shut as they walked through the forest, and he kept looking between Arthur and Harry. He was growing increasingly worried when it came to the other sorcerer. Wizard, he corrected himself. Harry seemed like a deeply personal person, who hated violence, in fact he hated even having to use force at all, but was forced to as though he needed it.

Merlin had seen only too well the kind of sorcerer Uther had used to further his own poison about how magic made them corrupt, and he himself sometimes worried if Uther had had a point, and you had to only see Lord Voldemort to see it. But Harry...He only used magic and violence to protect himself, and he seemed weary about how non magical people would treat him, and he reacted sometimes with incredible danger.

After walking about for hours enough, they finally came to a small clearing where they could rest up. Arthur took it incredibly well, he leaned against a tree gratefully. He was unaccustomed to travelling without a horse in his armor, so he was tired, and even his physical fitness found it hard to match the brutal pace Harry Potter set.

He studied the sorcerer. " Do you even know where this Voldemort is?"

Harry smiled. He had to admit the question was a good one, so he wasn't annoyed. " He's out there alright, I can feel him. We're going the right way. The mental connection we once shared is gone, but this," he held up the amulet containing the last horcrux that had been treated by the Goblin necromancy masters to purge it of the personality of Tom Riddle, " will help me find the bastard."

" And then you'll kill him?" Arthur asked. Not for the first time he wished his father had had the common sense to let him understand some of the complexities of magic, it would make it easier to fight magic if he understood some of the nuances.

" That's the idea," Harry replied with a grimace. " I've tried to kill the son of a bitch several times, not counting the one in Camelot before your fools stopped me. If anyone else gets in my way, they'll die too. I'm done with mercy. Where's Merlin?"

For the first time Arthur realised his idiot traitor manservant had vanished.

* * *

" I am not surprised you summoned me, young warlock," Kilgharrah said heavily. " This is a grave time."

" So you know what's happened?" Merlin asked.

The Great Dragon sighed as though the weight of time was resting on his wings. " I do. The arrival of the two sorcerers from the future is a worry, but you must not interfere with the distant prophecy."

" The prophecy that says Harry or Voldemort will kill the other?" Merlin asked rhetorically. The Dragon wasn't surprised by Merlin's knowledge on the issue, but he did give advice, " Merlin, under no circumstances are you to interfere. Your prophecy and the young sorcerer's prophecy are two entirely different things. Interfering with one that is not yours could destabilise what you and Arthur are trying to accomplish. You cannot risk that."

Merlin sighed. He'd called Kilgharrah to find out what his options were; he wanted to help Harry defeat Voldemort, but it looked like he couldn't even fire a spell towards the evil wizard without the creation of Albion becoming nothing more than a fantasy.

" So there's nothing I can do?" he asked defeated.

Kilgharrah chuckled. " Why is it everytime I tell you something that seems to hold no hope, you give up? There is something you can do, you can still protect Arthur, but now he knows the truth about you Merlin, that means he can see exactly what you have done for him over the years."

" No," Merlin replied immediately; oh how he'd longed for the opportunity to tell Arthur what he'd done in the past, though he would have to tell the King the bad bits, how he'd disguised himself as an old man and killed his father, or let Morgana become the monster she was today.

The Great Dragon frowned with disapproval. " Merlin, do not be so rash. You have waited a long time for this-" he had been saying before Merlin so rudely interrupted him. " And suppose he turns against magic further? What then Kilgharrah?" And suddenly the Dragon understood where the young dragonlord was coming from. " Merlin, you must chance it. If you and the young sorcerer show Arthur how magic can be used for good, it might make things easier. The time for the belief magic is evil is over, Merlin. It is long past the time for Arthur to grow up, and you along with him."

Merlin nodded. Maybe Kilgharrah was right; he'd been waiting for a time like this for so long, and he would've told Arthur everything if the situation with magic was different. But always something magical would occur, and people would die from it.

Those deaths would forever turn Arthur against the very idea of magic, so Merlin had kept his mouth shut.

" So what do I do about Harry?" Merlin changed the subject.

Kilgharrah quirked a reptilian brow at the question. " What about him?" he asked with his voice tinged with growing exasperation.

" He seems to hate those without magic," Merlin confessed his fear. " For someone who comes to the future, he's incredibly bitter."

The Dragon sighed. He'd been waiting for this for sometime, waiting for the revelations of the future to help shape Albion's future. It was ironic really that two sorcerers a thousand years from now would come to the future, and help shape Albion's creation. His sight of the future coupled with the wisdom he'd accumulated from the years he'd lived had shaped the way he perceived the world, and he sometimes wondered how someone who was as wise as Merlin could be so naive.

" Merlin, the young sorcerer has good reason to be bitter. He lashes out because people have lashed out at him all his life. I wouldn't attack him if I were you. Your power may exceed his own, but he has never needed to be afraid of practicing his powers. He also doesn't know how to surrender. He will use whatever means close at hand to draw the fight between you closer to his favor.

" And then there's Arthur. Merlin, you must try to make Arthur see the benefits of magic."

" How do I do that?" Merlin asked. He frowned when Kilgharrah looked up at the forest before looking down at him.

Kilgharrah sometimes hated this about his relationship with Merlin; he always had to suggest a course of action, even with Merlin's experiences as a guide, but sometimes Merlin was so stubborn he wouldn't listen. He hoped he took his one to heart. " Don't show Arthur anything strong yet," the dragon advised quickly, " it would overwhelm him. He must be showed small things that can be done with magic, harmless things like lighting a fire, curing people, using magic to fend off attacks. It's vital for Arthur to see magic can be used for mundane, harmless tasks, but the same spells can be used for different reasons."

" Do you think it would work?" Merlin was hopeful but he was dubious as well; Kilgharrah shared his worry as well, but he didn't dare show it otherwise the boy would worry about the whole thing exploding in his face. Merlin had to protect, guide, and generally hold Arthur back from his impulsiveness.

Kilgharrah didn't have a chance to reply. A loud shout of fear and anger had just come from the forrest. Arthur and Harry had come looking for Merlin, well Harry had, Arthur hadn't taken Merlin's 'betrayal' very well, and Harry saw from Arthur's point of view why. Arthur had trusted Merlin, and he hadn't taken Merlin having magic well. Harry had looked into Arthur's mind, and he saw he was more hurt than angry, maybe Pendragon wasn't so bad afterall, but he had to find Merlin. The future was too important. He'd threatened Arthur with a pain in the nether regions if he didn't come with him, and the King, realising the sorcerer was serious, came with him.

Finding Merlin was far from difficult; Harry could feel the other wizard's magic, so different from the magic of his own century, and he wasn't far. He was surprised the warlock was presently in a clearing, but as they grew closer the pair of them could hear talking. One of the voices was clearly Merlin, the other one was unknown, but it was clear the two of them knew each other. Harry closed his eyes, and felt the magic in the air. Merlin's magic was incredible, but he was in the presence of of something close to his own power level. What on Earth?

When they saw whom Merlin was speaking to, Harry hadn't been able to believe it. A dragon. Of all the things - wait, hadn't there been a race of dragons more intelligent, and more mighty than the dragons that existed in his day and age?

Harry didn't have time to think about the dragon. Arthur had just drawn Excalibur, and just rushed forwards to kill the dragon. He remembered this beast, and he realised Merlin had lied to him about even that. Given time Arthur could probably forgive Merlin for lying to him about having magic, once he had time to think. Harry and Merlin, with prompting from Kilgharrah, both believed that if the King stayed with them, saw magic being used for some other purpose than death, he would accept magic could be a force for good as well as evil.

Dragons, not so much. Arthur remembered only too well the nights the Great Dragon had attacked Camelot. He still suffered nightmares about the attacks, remembering the heat from the fires as buildings were reduced to rubble. He remembered the screams, the cries of pain and fear from women and children. Worse, he recalled how Gwen had almost been killed by the beast. He would forever wake up in a cold sweat each time he saw her face when she was trying to get fresh water for the wounded and the dying, and he would see the Great Dragon swoop down...

Arthur may have believed some magic was good, but when it came to dragons he believed they were nothing but evil. After seeing what this monster had done in the past attack on Camelot, he knew the dragons were nothing but evil. He didn't think about what he was doing, he didn't give any thought at all about what Harry or Merlin would do, he just ran swinging his sword around.

Merlin swung round at the first cry, and his eyes widened in horror as Arthur came running, shouting like a madman. A dangerous madman swinging a dangerous sword.

" Arthur, stop!" he tried to get through to the enraged monarch.

Arthur didn't listen, he just kept charging. Harry stepped forwards, and, extending his right hand, fired a ball of magic at Arthur's back. Merlin, realising this nightmare was really happening, raised his hands, his mind flashing through an impressive list of inoffensive spells when a bright blue ball of light shot from Harry's hand, and hit Arthur in the back.


End file.
